Tube cleaning device



April 30, 1940. MAXWELL ET AL 2,199,109

TUBE CLEANING DEVICE Filed 001:. 31, 1938 I N VE NTORS 07/414061! Waw IATTORNEY5 Patented Apr. 30, 1940 PATENT.

TUBE CLEANING DEVICE Clyde Maxwell, Glen Ellyn, and Horace .E. Marshall,Chicago, -Ill., assignorsto Boiler Tube Skivers, Inc'.,fChic'ago, 111.,a corporation of Illinois Application 00120118131, 1938, Serial No.237,800

3 Claims. (01. 15-10410) This'- .1invention relates to a tube cleaningde- Vice,;and it,v has to do' more'particularly with a device adaptedfor the removal of scale, carbon, lime and other deposits fromthe innerwalls of boiler tubes, flues,,or the like.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved andsturdy tube cleaning device which is quite simple in construction, isinexpensive. to manufacture, and is so constructed and arranged thattubes, fines and the like may be thoroughly cleaned with ease in aminimum of time and with a minimum of expense.

' Anotherobject is .to provide a device of the foregoing characterhavingdisk members: with toothed peripheries, which disk members areloosely insertable within the tube to be cleaned and-Which are adaptedto be rotated with a vibratory or chatter-like or bouncing actionwhereby the scale or other deposit is quickly removed by a combinedimpact and chipping action.

, Aiurther object is to provide a tool of the'foregoing-character havinga rotatable support car'- rying a plurality of axially spaced cleaningdisks; which disks are adjustable laterally relative to the axis ofthesupport to accommodate tubes of different diameters as .well as varyingdeposit thicknesses. I

Still another object is to provide a ,tube cleaning devicerhaving arotatable support upon which disks are frictionally supported in such amane ner thatthey rotate with the support as a unit under normal tubecleaning conditions, but automatically shift and adjust themselves backand forth laterally of the support when abnormal pressures are exertedon their peripheries as when blisters or excessive scale thicknesses, ortube disalignment is encountered in moving a rotating toolthrough atube. q .5

Additional objects areto provide a tool of the foregoing characterhaving a tensioned mounting' for the cleaning disks permitting them toshift laterally of the axis of their support, thereby preventing injuryto the disks and breakage of; the device ;as a whole; and to provide adevicefor-cleaning tubes which is readily adaptable for cleaning longtubes, whether they be hot orcold; and which tends to prevent excessiveheating '.orsticking of the;rotating tool as it'is passed through thetube, whatever its length may-be. .1

Other objects and advantages will become apparent asthisdescriptionprogresses and by ref er'ence to the drawing'wherein,

55, Figure '1 is a side elevational view ofone form are mountedspaced-apart cleaning disks, whichof tube cleaning device embodying my.invention,

the same being illustrated in a normal position of'rest within a tube;

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on line 2- 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section through one end of the toolsupport,.as-along line ing a modified form. of tool embodying theinvention; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken substantially on line 5-5, of Fig. 4. I

Referring to the tube cleaning device In shown in Figs. 1 to 3, it isdriven rotatably by a motor ll through a flexible drive shaft H. Thedrive shaft i2 is of such length that-it accommodates length of the tubel3.

The tube cleaning device Ill includes an elongated, rigid and circularsupporting body l4 having threaded ends M and li A coupling member 15 isthreaded upon the support end M Which coupling member may be permanentlysecured to the adjacent end ofthe flexible-drive shaft l2 so as to form,in-effect, a part thereof. A plurality of cleaning disks it are mountedupon and driven with the support l4. All ofthe disks lfiare of similarconstruction and each is provided at its center with a concentricopening ii of larger diameter than the support M which extendstherethrough. The enlarged disk openmore fully hereinafter. 1 q

The disks l5 have toothed peripheries l8 and they are so mounted on thesupport [4 that the peripheral teeth l8 of all disks extend in thedirection of rotation of the device. Also, the disks are, preferably,made of a highly durable materialcapable of withstanding the poundingand chipping action imposed thereon during the operationof the tool; andI have found, for example, that excellent'results may be obtained byemploying disks formed of tem red carbon steel. The disks 16 are of lessdiameter than the tube to be cleaned and while this dimensionalrequirement may be varied it should, in every instance, be such that thedesired vibratory, chat ter-like or bouncing action willtake place asthe device is rotated. For example, I have'found; that excellent resultsmay be obtainedibyv employing the movement of the device [0 throughoutthe 35 ings l'l permit the disks to shift or be shifted laterally of thesupport M, as will be explained disk is confined, said members of eachpair havby merely removing the spring washers 33 and 35 and insertingthe requisite number of the same in the disk openings as aboveexplained.

It is believed that the operation and advantages of the invention willbe readily understood from the foregoing description. As the device isrotated and passed through the tube l3, it tends to gyrate within thetube with a bouncing, vibrating or chatter-like action, during which theteeth of the disks engage the scale, etc., on the tube wall with achipping or skiving-like action, quickly loosening and removing thesame. This action takes place throughout the length of the.

device and any abnormal irregularities in the tube or the surface beingcleaned are accommodated by the shifting of the cleaning disks to theend that the removing and, cleaning action is positive and quite rapid.'Also, this action takes place with less drag on the' motor I I, eventhough there is a tendency toward heating up of the tool as frictionincreases in the continued operation thereof. It has been found that, ifthe disks are set up rigidly, the excessive friction and heat developedwould soon break the tool, particularly in the cleaning of a long tube'.This invention avoids that condition. Also, the arrangements of partsmay be made Without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined by the claims that follow.

We claim: 1. In a tube cleaning tool, a support adapted to be rotated,disks having central openings larger than said support and through whichsaid support extends, and means for supporting said disks for rotationnormally with said support, including a pair of members between whicheach ing friction surfaces engaging the opposite side of said diskadjacent the central opening therein,

and means including a spring tensioning element for resiliently urgingsaid members and disks axially of said support and for frictionallylocking them to said support for rotation nor mally therewith, whilepermitting said disks to shift back forth laterally of said support asabnormal obstructionto rotation thereof is offered. 1 I

2. A device of the class described comprising an elongated supportadapted to be driven rotatably, a plurality of disks mounted upon saidsupport in spaced relation, said disks each having a central opening oflarger size than said support, compression spring members of lessdiameter than the openings in said disks carried by said support anddisposed in said disk openings whereby said disks have a slight lateralmovement relative to the axis of said support, and means for securingsaid disks to said support for rotation therewith including shoemembers, one pair for each disk, engaging the opposite sides of eachdisk, and means for urging said members into frictional engagement withsaid disks and at the same time compressing said spring members axiallyand placing them under compression. 1

3. A device of the. class described comprising an elongated supportadapted to be driven rotatably, a plurality of disks mounted upon saidsup-port in spaced relation, said disks each having a central opening oflarger size than said supplacedunder compression as said members anddisks are frictionally engaged.

CLYDE HORACE E. MARSHALL.

